Reimagined celebration
Postponed `Solidarity in the Plaza: Black Lives Matter' event recheduled for two fall Saturdays
Despite a threemonth delay, the Plaza District is still set on celebrating Black lives, arts and culture.
The arts district has reimagined its inaugural “Solidarity in the Plaza: Black Lives Matter” event — which was originally planned for June 19, which is Juneteeth — with the festivities now planned for this Saturday and Sept. 26.
“The feeling, the sentiment has not changed: We still believe that Black lives matter. We still believe that we want to say that explicitly. We still believe that as the Plaza District we have a platform to amplify Black voices, and that's what we're trying to accomplish with this event and show our solidarity,” said
Plaza District Executive Director Selena Skorman.
Back in June, as many as 10,000 people were expected to attend due to the high level of interest in the new event. But organizers postponed it due to a sharp rise in coronavirus cases and concerns over spreading COVID-19 since such a crowd would make socially distancing difficult.
“We're hoping that splitting it into two weekends will help with crowd management,” Skorman said. “Since June 19, I think Oklahoma City as a whole has kind of learned
how to navigate existing in this kind of pandemic time. ... Especially with the mask mandate, it's second nature now to wear a mask with a lot of the people that visit the Plaza District.”
Face coverings are required inside Plaza District businesses, and social distancing and mask wearing are encouraged within the event grounds.
Street closure
In addition, NW 16 Street is closed from N Indiana Avenue to N
Gatewood Avenue starting at 8 a.m. every Saturday in September and October for 16th Street Saturdays, which includes the “Solidarity in the Plaza” event.
“It's been wonderful. We had our second one this past weekend, and it was just exactly what we envisioned: Everyone was in a good mood and people felt safe and families were out and kids were running around because they're on a street's that closed off and it's a safe place to do that. We had wonderful performances, and we had artists that came out. They hadn't had a show in months, and they were excited to have an opportunity,” Skorman said.
“A street closure is a safety thing typically anyway. You're closing the street, and now it's for pedestrians and families and people instead of cars. But in a time of a pandemic, now you're taking parking spots that cars will just sit in ... and it's room for people to walk around and to be in the Plaza without feeling cramped on a sidewalk. So, we're really lucky that the city worked with us to kind of expedite that process.”
City leaders worked closely with the district to arrange the weekly street closure as a way to support Plaza businesses, vendors and artists hard-hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. The district canceled its fall Plaza District Festival and has since February discontinued its monthly LIVE on the Plaza art events due to the pandemic.
“It was very kind of everyone to work together on a really short timeline to make this happen, and because of that, I'm hoping that our businesses are going to survive this pandemic,” Skorman said. “They still need help. They were still closed for months because of the lockdown. But these Saturday events are doing a lot to help them hopefully make it to next year.”
Show of solidarity
Although it will be divided over two Saturdays, the “Solidarity in the Plaza” event will have largely the same lineup of Black artists, vendors and performers originally planned.
This Saturday, a roster of eight visual artists will showcase their work, while DJ Eddie Brasco and RACE Dance Collective will entertain the crowds.
Along with 10 artists selling their wares, the Sept. 26 installment will include performances by Changing Frequencies, Jeff Mims and Pitch Her Perfect, plus a special outdoor film screening. Curated by Crystal Z Campbell and hosted by the Queer Film Continuum, the screening will spotlight experimental short films by Black artists.
“I was worried, obviously, with everything going on with corona that we weren't going to be able to do it. But I'm just excited that we can. ... The biggest reason why it was important to bring back is because if you check the news, you see what's going on with the violence, with the challenges that people all across our country — even those who are trying to make it better by protesting — are having just to fight for racial justice. We know it's important for the Plaza District to take a stand in strong support,” said Camal Pennington, a Plaza District Association board member.
“As somebody who's Black who grew up in Oklahoma City — born and raised in Oklahoma City, lives in Oklahoma City, lives in northeast Oklahoma City — I think we have the mentality that our only place is on the east side. So, it's really important to me as a board member for the Plaza that we make this a place that, `No, Black people belong here, too.'”
He said excitement is building again for “Solidarity in the Plaza,” which he hopes becomes an annual event.
“I hope that these artists build relationships with the business owners and the people involved in the Plaza District so that their art is being featured all year round,” Pennington said.
“Because of all the protesting that's gone on — the fight for racial justice, the fight for equality — I love that this event has an opportunity to not only stand for those important values but also showcase these positive contributions that Black people are making toward our culture, toward our society.”